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With One Mind: A Word Study Through Acts

September 7, 2025 · Acts

Scripture referenced 17 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

  • Acts 1:8 Jesus tells disciples they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part

    8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

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Acts 1:13-14

disciples listed by name, continually devoting themselves in one accord to prayer along with the women and Mary

13 When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

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John 17

Jesus' high priestly prayer asking the Father to make his followers one, unified as he and the Father are one

1 Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;

2 even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

4 I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.

5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.

6 I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you,

8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

9 I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

10 All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

11 I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me I have kept. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.

14 I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.

16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.

18 As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.

19 For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

20 Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,

21 that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.

22 The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;

23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.

24 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.

26 I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

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Acts 2

day of Pentecost, Holy Spirit comes, believers together in one accord in the temple breaking bread house to house

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them.

4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans?

8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!”

12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

15 For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.

16 But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:

17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.

18 Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the sky above, and signs on the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.

20 The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

21 It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know,

23 him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;

24 whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;

27 because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

28 You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29 “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,

31 he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay.

32 This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

33 Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.

34 For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,

35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

43 Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

44 All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

45 They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

46 Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

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Acts 4

Peter and John released after arrest, companions raise their voices to God with one accord

1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

5 In the morning, their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.

6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

7 When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,

10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.

11 He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’

12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.

14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it.

17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”

18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,

20 for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”

21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

22 For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.

23 Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;

25 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

26 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’

27 “For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.

29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.

34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.

36 Joses, who by the apostles was also called Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,

37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

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Psalm 2

quoted by the believers in prayer asking why nations are insolent and rulers gather against the Lord and his Christ

1 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,

3 “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his anger, and terrify them in his wrath:

6 “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”

7 I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father.

8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

10 Now therefore be wise, you kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

11 Serve Yahweh with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.

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Acts 5

apostles gather homothumedon in Solomon's portico, signs and wonders taking place, believers added daily

1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession,

2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”

5 Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.

6 The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

8 Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

9 But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

10 She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

11 Great fear came on the whole assembly, and on all who heard these things.

12 By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

13 None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.

14 More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

15 They even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.

16 The multitude also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.

17 But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody.

19 But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said,

20 “Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

21 When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

23 “We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

25 One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”

26 Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

27 When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,

28 saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

31 God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

32 We are His witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.

34 But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.

35 He said to them, “You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

36 For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.

37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

38 Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of men, it will be overthrown.

39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!”

40 They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.

42 Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.

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Acts 7:54-60

crowd rushes at Stephen with one mind, stones him as he prays for God not to hold the sin against them

54 Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.

58 They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

60 He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

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Acts 8:6

crowds in Samaria pay attention with one mind as Philip proclaims Christ and performs signs

6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.

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John 4

Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman, identifies himself as the Messiah and prophet she was looking for

1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

2 (although Jesus himself didn’t baptize, but his disciples),

3 he left Judea, and departed into Galilee.

4 He needed to pass through Samaria.

5 So he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph.

6 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”

8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water?

12 Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again,

14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I don’t get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

17 The woman answered, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’

18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.”

19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.

22 You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.

23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.

24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah comes, he who is called Christ. When he has come, he will declare to us all things.”

26 Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who speaks to you.”

27 At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, “What are you looking for?” or, “Why do you speak with her?”

28 So the woman left her water pot, and went away into the city, and said to the people,

29 “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”

30 They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

31 In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”

33 The disciples therefore said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.

35 Don’t you say, ‘There are yet four months until the harvest?’ Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.

36 He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

37 For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’

38 I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I did.”

40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days.

41 Many more believed because of his word.

42 They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

43 After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee.

44 For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

45 So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast.

46 Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48 Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”

49 The nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

51 As he was now going down, his servants met him and reported, saying “Your child lives!”

52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him.”

53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” He believed, as did his whole house.

54 This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judea into Galilee.

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Deuteronomy 18:18

Moses said the Lord would raise up a prophet like him from among the people and they should listen to him

18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.

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Acts 12

Herod in royal apparel addressed people of Tyre and Sidon who came to him with one mind seeking peace; angel struck him dead for not giving glory to God

1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off from his hands.

8 The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak, and follow me.”

9 And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she didn’t open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

19 When Herod had sought for him, and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.

21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

22 The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John who was called Mark.

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Acts 15:24-29

Jerusalem Council becomes of one mind, writes to Gentile churches asking only four essential abstentions, not the whole Jewish law

24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment;

25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth.

28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things:

29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

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Acts 18

Jews rise up homothumedon against Paul in Corinth, bring him before Gallio who dismisses the case

1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth.

2 He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,

3 and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

4 He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6 When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!”

7 He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

9 The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent;

10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

11 He lived there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat,

13 saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you;

15 but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”

16 So he drove them from the judgment seat.

17 Then all the Greeks laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things.

18 Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow.

19 He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

20 When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined;

21 but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the assembly, and went down to Antioch.

23 Having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples.

24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by race, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus. He was mighty in the Scriptures.

25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John.

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

27 When he had determined to pass over into Achaia, the brothers encouraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him. When he had come, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;

28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews, publicly showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

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Acts 19

near riot at theater in Ephesus, crowd rushes together homothumedon shouting great is Artemis for two hours, most not knowing why they gathered

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.

2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

7 They were about twelve men in all.

8 He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning God’s Kingdom.

9 But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10 This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

11 God worked special miracles by the hands of Paul,

12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

13 But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

14 There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

15 The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

16 The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

17 This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18 Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

19 Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver.

20 So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

21 Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

22 Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

23 About that time there arose no small stir concerning the Way.

24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

25 whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

26 You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with hands.

27 Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

28 When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

29 The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

30 When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

31 Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had come together.

33 They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

34 But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

35 When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

36 Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

37 For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess.

38 If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

39 But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

40 For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning today’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

41 When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

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Romans 15

closing blessing that God would grant believers to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus so they glorify God with one voice

1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,

6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

10 Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

11 Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

12 Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

15 But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,

16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

21 But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”

22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

24 whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.

28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

29 I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

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1 Corinthians 11

Paul says as often as believers eat the bread and drink the cup they proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again

1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

2 Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.

3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

5 But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.

6 For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered.

7 For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.

8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man;

9 for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man.

10 For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

11 Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.

12 For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.

13 Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?

14 Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.

16 But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.

17 But in giving you this command, I don’t praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.

18 For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.

19 For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

20 When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.

21 For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.

22 What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly, and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.

23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.

24 When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”

25 In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.

30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.

31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.

32 But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This message was a word study of the Greek adverb homothumadon, which appears throughout the book of Acts and once in Romans 15. Pastor Mark used it as a lens to review the whole arc of Acts, tracing the church from Jerusalem outward. The point was that being "in one accord" is both a description of how the early church moved and a pattern worth living into today.

What was said

The word homothumadon is an adverb built from two Greek roots meaning "together" and "passion" or "impulse." It gets translated in English as "in one accord," "with one mind," or "according to one impulse." Pastor Mark made clear from the start that the word is not always a compliment. It describes the quality of an action, not the rightness of it, and that distinction ran through everything that followed.

The first uses in Acts 1 and 2 are straightforwardly good. The disciples, after Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, gather in the upper room and devote themselves to prayer in one accord. When Pentecost arrives and the believers continue meeting daily in the temple and breaking bread house to house, that same unity is what Pastor Mark argued made the church magnetic. People were being added to their number every day, and he connected that directly to the believers acting the way Jesus taught them to act.

The pattern holds through chapters 4 and 5. When Peter and John are beaten and ordered to stop preaching, the whole group raises their voices to God in one accord, quoting Psalm 2 and asking for boldness. In Solomon's portico, the gathered believers were a sight that frightened outsiders but also drew them. Signs and wonders were happening, and the movement was spreading from Jerusalem into the surrounding cities of Judea, just as Jesus had said it would.

Chapter 7 introduces the first red light. The crowd listening to Stephen's speech rushes at him homothumadon and stones him to death. Pastor Mark's point was plain: it is entirely possible to be unified in the wrong direction. He noted that Stephen's dying prayer, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," echoes Jesus on the cross, and that Stephen died doing what he was doing not to grandstand but to offer his listeners a chance to repent.

The stoning of Stephen turns out to matter enormously for the story. It scatters the church out of Jerusalem and into Samaria, which is exactly where Jesus said they would be witnesses. Philip goes to Samaria, and the crowds gather there homothumadon to hear him. Pastor Mark paused on this because Christ had already prepared that ground, going back to John 4 and the Samaritan woman and the promise in Deuteronomy 18 that Moses himself had pointed toward a coming prophet.

The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 gave Pastor Mark what he called the most instructive use of the word, because there the accord is not a starting condition but something that was reached. Two groups with real differences, Jewish background believers and Gentile background believers, came together in a council and worked through what unity in Christ would actually require. The elders did not lay the whole Jewish law on the Gentiles. They asked for four things and said, "If you keep yourselves free from these things, you will do well." Pastor Mark said that in a moment when compromise is treated as weakness, this is worth sitting with.

The later uses in Acts 18 and 19 are both negative, crowds unified against Paul or whipped into a confused near-riot over Artemis of the Ephesians. Pastor Mark observed that the riot at Ephesus, where most people did not even know why they had gathered, sounds recognizable today. Two groups shouting in one accord at each other, and a majority with no clear idea what to believe. He closed by landing on the one occurrence of the word outside Acts, in Romans 15, where Paul turns it into a blessing: that God would grant the church to be of one mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one voice they might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

  1. The pastor described unity as something Jesus prayed for urgently before the cross, saying it was 'very, very, very important to Jesus.' What does it mean to you personally that Jesus spent some of his last moments before the crucifixion praying for the unity of his followers?
  2. The sermon pointed out that homothumedon shows up in Acts describing both faithful believers and angry mobs, meaning people can be completely unified and completely wrong at the same time. Can you think of a time when you were certain a group you were part of was right, and later realized it was not?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Read the full transcript 8,423 words
Speaker 1Well, good morning, everybody. How are y'all? There's just a few of us and I know that. But how are you? Really?
Doing alright. Would you stand with us? We had technical difficulties this morning in the first service that were driving us a little bit crazy. We think we have gotten most of those solved for this service. So, how about let's sing of our redeemer?
Hymn number 517. Amen. Y'all sound pretty good this morning. How about love lifted me? Nice, peppy, catchy number.
Love lifted me. Hymn number 5 zero me. All my heart to him I give, ever to him I'll glean. In his Amen. Y'all can have a seat.
I have a few announcements. The first one was all Bills was yesterday. Tanya and I actually got called away for a funeral down in Utah. So we were not able to be here, but I've heard great reports from everybody. One of the booths there was for It Takes a Bally and I'm gonna invite Allie to grab that microphone and come up and talk to you about this little organization.
Speaker 2Good morning. Hi. I'm Allie. I'm gonna start by asking you to imagine new parents walking out of the hospital with their newborn in the car seat going home for the first time. How do you think they're feeling?
God, you can shout it
Speaker 1out. Overwhelmed.
Speaker 2Overwhelmed. Nervous. Terrified. Okay. Now fast forward six weeks.
Both parents are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious about every noise the baby makes. Is this normal? Should I call the doctor? Now imagine going through that experience far from your family. In a community where you're still building connections with limited knowledge of what resources actually exist.
This is the reality for many of our families today. Nationally, perinatal mental health is the number one complication for childbirth. One in five women and one in ten men will experience a perinatal mood disorder. That's not the baby blues. This is clinical depression and anxiety that can last for months and years if not treated.
The tragedy is half of those cases will go completely undiagnosed because parents think, well, I'll tough it out. This is where It Takes Valley enters the scene. Our community has incredible perinatal resources. The problem isn't help doesn't exist, it's that parents can't find it when they're exhausted, overwhelmed, don't know where to look. We're not duplicating services or competing with other providers.
We're just partnering with organizations and healthcare professionals that already are working with people that are new or current parents. Our role is just to be the connector piece. So how does this work? Okay. First, we've built a current, easy to navigate website that showcases over 80 local perinatal resources.
Who are the doulas? Are there support groups? Who are the mental health professionals? What activities can I do with my two year old? We've done all the legwork so families don't have to.
Second, we help normalize this perinatal experience of starting or growing a family. Talking about hard conversations like infertility, miscarriage, birth trauma, mental health. When we share openly, we realize other people around us experience the same thing. Third, we help facilitate a free maternity infant clothing and gear swap. So here's how it works.
Families donate their outgrown child items. Babies wear their onesies for maybe a couple weeks and then we have volunteers sort and organize. And then the next day, anybody can come in and take whatever they need for free for their growing family. The swap has been happening since 2018, so you might have heard about it or possibly attended. This last event in April, we had 600 families attend and over a 100 volunteers help along with many community partners.
But the best part is we achieve a 100% landfill diversion. What doesn't get taken by local families goes on to support the Wind River Reservation for their own community baby shower. So nothing goes to waste, and our circle of care extends throughout Wyoming. So you might be thinking, well, this is cool, but I don't even have kids or my kids are grown. How does this affect me?
Well, here's how. Supported parents are more productive employees. They're more stable and engaged community members, and they choose to stay and raise their families here because they feel like they belong. So here's how you can help. First, spread the word.
Tell your employees, your friends, your community members, neighbors that might have young kids. Tell them that this resource exists and that families can discover the support they might need. Second, we have an incredible opportunity right now through old bills. We'd humbly ask you to consider a donation to It Takes a Valley if this resonates with you. Our goal is $30,000 to reach that maximum match amount.
That will help ensure the swap continues to be free and we can continue our collaboration efforts. Whether you're currently in this life stage or been there thirty years ago, you probably know families who could benefit. So your support helps create that safety net. It truly does take a valley to raise children. So visit our website, see what all of the resources are available, and consider a donation at Old Bills.
There's QR codes on the screen, but I also have some in the back as well. Thanks for letting me tell you about this important work.
Speaker 1And thank you. This is Ali with It Takes a Valley. Sorry for the rhyme. That's just the way it is. And we love her.
We've known her a long time, and she has been here in some form of Christian witness and ministry for a how long, Allie? In this valley? Almost twelve years. Almost twelve years. Yeah.
I was gonna say, we've been here thirteen full time, and she was not long behind us. Welcome and glad. Well, I've got a few more announcements. This is hey, there's a slide. Confirmation vote.
So there is a vote to confirm or not confirm, but it's a confirmation vote, Sunday, September 21. It'll be between services. It's a member's vote to vote on the search committee's recommendation of Van Jones. So Van Jones is a recommendation by the search committee out of the candidates that we have. And let me say one quick word.
So Jeff Brown is the local guy. We had three really good candidates and we feel like all of them were qualified. Jeff, pragmatically speaking, I was so raw, I just said, Jeff, would you do it to begin with? And he said that he would. And he didn't immediately start, but there he is.
Come on in, Jeff. He didn't know I was gonna make this announcement. But Jeff Brown is here. He's been ministering in this valley for how long, Jeff? Thirteen.
Thirteen years. I got here at almost the same time we did. And I love this guy. And so he is going to be a part of the staff, but the associate pastor that is coming probably around January is Van Jones, his wife Lauren and their four kids. They'll be moving out.
Jeff, I wanted you to see his face so that you know who he is. A lot of you have been seeing him for thirteen years and you didn't know his name, but he has been in ministry. He speaks English and Spanish very very well. His Spanish is better than mine whether he says it is or not. He connects well to to people and he's been a chaplain at the hospital and he's been a help at the parent teacher conversations, parent teacher stuff.
He's always been involved in that and he is a minister of the gospel who will be working here in the office and he's been working for McCooey, so he's kinda lessening with McCooey and he's raising up with us. But he's here. His wife, Sheila, their three boys came up through First Bees youth program. And if you wanna say anything, you're welcome to.
Speaker 3It's fine. I'll say
Speaker 1it I'll say
Speaker 3it out loud.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 3It is wonderful to be part of this church. I am so grateful. We've been kind of lonely for a long time out there on our our own, and it's just incredible to be part of this and be part of all you. So I look forward to meeting you all. I will meet you all eventually until some of you leave for the winner.
Thanks guys for having me. Thank you, Joe.
Speaker 1Appreciate it. Thank you. He said you heard his name coming down the hall. So we ended up with two of the guys of those three good candidates. The other fellow is is going to a church in Texas and we already know that too.
But confirmation vote September 21 between services. Awana is starting Monday week, so a week from tomorrow, September 15 is Awana. If you want to register the kids, you can register them at firstbjackson.org. Registration is open, but if you show up at 05:45, you'll be able to register them the night of also, September 15. This one's one, it's an interesting one, horse whispering.
There will be a horse whispering up at the Diamond Cross Ranch on Sunday, September 21. So that is between that's just two weeks from today at 05:00 in the evening. So Grant Gollaher, Grant and Jane up at the Diamond Cross Ranch in Buffalo Valley. That's a It's a great ranch. It's a horse ranch, but what he does is take troubled horses or unbroken horses, bring them in and does a horse whispering and brings them to a place that is amazing.
It's something to be seen. I've I've witnessed it a couple times and I'm still blown away by it. So it's happening two weeks from today, 05:00 in the evening, Diamond Cross Ranch up in Buffalo Valley. You really ought to go to this thing. Now, I talked to Peter and Lauren Long who are related to that operation and she said logistically, we'll just have to see who shows up, but they have put it out there for all the churches in the valley to come up.
It's sort of in celebration of the life of Freckles, his dear horse that just passed and so he is bringing up this new horse through horse whispering. It is a Christian demonstration of some pretty amazing biblical principles. I would highly recommend you go. There's a Guatemala mission script coming up October 11 through the eighteenth. The October 11 date reminds me that's the date that we have settled off for Laurie Grant's funeral.
Laurie Grant's funeral will also be on October 11. JH Women's Community Bible Study is starting up. It'll be at the Press Church this time around. They'll cover the book of Genesis. That's a two hour span from ten to noon on Wednesdays and childcare is provided.
If you wanna sign up, you can do it at jhwomensbiblestudy.com and it's a limited time frame. So the fall section is September 10 through October 29. We have a group of ladies that meet here at the Fellowship Hall. Sisters Saved by Grace down the hall. It's a women's book study.
They have been going through books of the Bible. They're using a book this time called Praying with Power. Started this week but just barely got started on Thursday and it's ready to roll on forward. Books are $7. They're available in the office.
But Thursday's at 6PM. They sit together, they pray together, they eat usually, eat together, something sweet, and they study the book together. And it's a fantastic group of ladies on Thursday evenings. First BBQ, this is the last one we have scheduled for this summer. It happened between services, but the announcement is still up there, so there it is.
Get be looking for it next summer. And I already made the announcement about Van. If any of you have come over from Idaho, the Teton Valley Fellowship in Idaho will be meeting this Friday, and they are meeting at the plumber's place, John and Susan Plumbers place on Friday in the evening, six to eight ish. So that's for Teton Valley Idaho Fellowship that folks that come over the hill on Sundays are getting together on Fridays once a month. Is there anything else I forgot?
No. I hope not. Would you stand? We we sang a lot of people in from the vestibule and I think we're gonna sing a few more in now. I hope.
Would you stand and sing with me? Amen. How about a chorus of Jesus is lord of all? Actually, we're gonna sing the verses too. Jesus is lord of all.
Jesus is lord Amen. Y'all can have a seat and have a the ushers come forward. This is the worship through giving or the operatory time and I'd ask if you'd pray with me right where you sit and I'll be praying up here. Lord God almighty, we thank you for this lovely day. We thank you for the table fellowship outside for the getting together in your name gathered under your spirit, lord.
We pray that you would propel us towards what it is that you would have us do, that you'd give us the inkling at just the right time and the power to walk it out. We thank you as we are gathering this morning and hearing from your word and singing your praises and gathering for communion, Lord, that we would be granted togetherness in a in a very profound way, that the unity among us would be heavenly. So in Jesus name, Lord, I ask your blessing on this offering that you would use this body who's gathered in your name to bring other people into contact with the goodness of God and the gospel that is available through Jesus Christ, our lord. In Jesus name, we gather and pray and ask it. Your will to be done in your way.
Amen. Wow. Judy, what a journey. Beautiful. Beautiful.
Here we are gathered in his name. I have I am known for just starting where I left off last week but I gave you all fair warning. If you're here last week, it's a topical sermon and I was told after the first service this morning, that wasn't topical, it was a word study and this is the word. Okay? This is the word and I tend to shy away from topical preaching because I don't like agenda driven preaching.
I don't want for the agenda my agenda to be more important than God's agenda. So I typically just say the next thing, whatever next is next. But what I'm gonna do with this word, hope, is do a review of the book of Acts. We're gonna be reviewing the book of Acts because we're up to chapter 23 now in Acts and we've just been going one Sunday after another plotting through all of it And the story that Paul tells about his conversion is told three times and we've told it three twice already. I'm gonna give you a break this week.
We're gonna go through this. Is a Greek word that we typically translate into English in a clause and the clause is usually in one accord or in one mind or according to one impulse, in one impulse, with one impulse, or even according to one passion because it's an adverb. This is an adverb that describes the way a verb works. It is an adverb from a compound base of which is together in Greek. There are other ways to say that in Greek, soon or seen is the another way to say it, but is together or the same and then is usually either anger or wrath but it can just be passion and so, this word comes from these two combined according to one passion, according to one impulse, one mind, one accord.
So, I'm going to start and as is my custom going chronologically or just in order, we're going go in order. So we'll start at acts one and we'll go through each of the uses. The first few of them are not just good, but very very good. And I'm convinced that when Luke was writing this orderly account to Theophilus about things, he was using this word very specifically in one accord or with one mind that's translated right here. So, I'll do kind of a brief review of acts as we go through this one word, burn study, one word study of Hamathumadon.
Hamathumadon is used in one fourteen here but if you think back to what happened in acts one eight, Jesus is speaking to his disciples who are gathered and he speaks to him and says, you are going to be my witnesses. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem which is where they were, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost part. And we have taken on the study of acts and we have seen that get over those bounds and we're gonna be recovering that today. So here we go. Then they returned from Mount Of Olives where Jesus was ascending into heaven.
They returned to Jerusalem from the Mount Of Olives which is near Jerusalem. It's just a Sabbath day's journey away and when they had entered into the city, Jesus said, stay here in this city until you're imbued with power from on high. You're gonna be my witnesses. So they were being obedient. Hey, that's novel concept.
When they had entered into the city, they went up to the upstairs room where they were staying and that is Peter and John and James and Andrew and Philip and Thomas and Bartholomew and Matthew and James, son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas, son of James, not to be confused with Judas Iscariot. All of these were continually devoting themselves Haumathoumedon in one accord with one mind, with one impulse and they were devoting themselves in that way together to prayer. Along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and with Jesus' brothers, they were all there together in one mind with one accord and that is what Jesus had asked them to do. If you think back just a few days from this point before this point when Jesus was praying in the garden, his high priestly prayer in John 17 and he says, father, may they, my disciples, my followers, and not just them, but all who would come after them by their testimony, would you make them one unified just like we are one. Unity is very, very, very important to Jesus.
It's one of his last things that he prayed before the cross and then they here they are. We find them emulating that and going after it with one mind in prayer, devoting themselves all of them together. I'd say, I give that a green light. That's a good one. Okay?
Not always good. It's a good one in this case though. Second chapter, what happens in the second chapter of Acts? By the way, when I was in seminary, I had a class called Acts through Revelation. It was Acts through Revelation in one semester.
And at the end of the semester, he said, okay, here's a blank sheet and it said Acts one all the way up through 28, and then Romans one all the way through 16 and it said, what happened in each chapter? Yeah. So, I'm gonna give you a little guide on Acts here. What happens in Acts two, the day of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and when he comes in like tongues of a flame of fire fire, it says, before we get to this portion, it says, and they were confused because they understood. There were a bunch of believers gathered together in one accord, It says, and then when the Holy Spirit came down, all of the other people were able to hear in their own language and it said, they were confused because they understood.
Aren't all those guys Galileans and yet we hear them in our own language. God is a god of order who is bringing order out of chaos. Now, as this happened after Pentecost, everyone kept on feeling a sense of awe and many wonders and signs were taking place through these apostles. Miracles were authenticating the message and all the believers were together and they had all things in common and they would sell the property and possessions and share them with all to the extent that anyone had need and day by day, continuing homothumedon, continuing in one mind. So what they had had at the upper room, they still were having it together in the temple.
That's great. So they're gathering for corporate worship in one mind of one accord and they were breaking bread together from house to house. Did I mention the first BBQ that was out here this morning? Table fellowship is really, really, really important in the New Testament. This weekend, Tanya and I mentioned that we we went to a funeral yesterday down in Willard, Utah and the night before in Ogden, we had supper with the family that was grieving, some of the family that were grieving, close friends.
And there's nothing that replaces table fellowship. It's it's an opening and it's we all have to eat and to get together and do that is very important. It comes up a lot in scripture. So, all believers gathered day by day continuing HaMathumedon in the temple and breaking bread from house to house. They were taking their meals together with gladness and with sincerity of heart.
They they loved it. They meant to be together and they were praising God, Hamathumadan, having favor with all the people and the Lord was adding to their number day by day, those who are being saved. To be unified is really special and it is really attractive. In this case, it's a great thing because people are being added to the number of believers every day because the believers were acting like Jesus taught them to act. So that's a good one.
Four, what happened in chapter four? After the day of Pentecost, after they had had some resistance, let's say, when they were preaching, John and Peter were arrested and when they're arrested, they were beaten and they were told never to preach again in this name but when they had been released in chapter four, they went to their own companions reported everything that the chief priest and the elders had said to him. They said, yeah, you can't do this anymore, but what are we going do? Obey God or man? When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one accord, in one accord, in one mind, according to one passion, and they said, Lord, it is you who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that's in them, who by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father, David your servant said, why were the nations insolent and why did the peoples plot in vain?
This is Psalm two, it's a messianic Psalm. Psalm two, they're quoting, the kings of the earth take their stand and in this case, the government that was over them in the temple was telling them, do not do what God had said you should do. Why is it that the kings in the earth took their stand and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ? They literally were saying, do not preach again in Jesus name. But with one mind, they acknowledge that they must follow after God and not after the traditions of men.
So, I'd say that's a good one too. Verse chapter five, here we are, chapter five. So now, we've had Jesus's, you're gonna be my witnesses and in chapter two, you're imbued with power from on high and now that message can start going out from Jerusalem into Judea and to Samaria and the rest of the world. And then, three, they hit resistance. Chapter four, they're beaten but they pray for boldness to keep on preaching in Jesus name.
And chapter five, at the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were taking place among the people. The miracles were authenticating the message of Messiah Jesus and they were homothumedon in Solomon's portico. They were actually gathered together for corporate worship and corporate proclamation of the word of God. They were all together in Solomon's portico but none of the rest of the folks that were around dared to associate with them. Look at what is going on over there.
Can you see this? It's saying, what they're doing is amazing but it kind of scares me. Okay, folks who grew up in church, have you ever been to a church that you felt a little bit scared about? Are any of you feeling that way right now? Sorry.
I'm in Acts. It's a little scary for Baptist sometimes. None of the rest dare to associate. However, the people held him in high esteem. They did recognize that what was going on was pretty amazing and they liked it.
Increasingly, believers in the Lord, large numbers of men and women were being added to their number. This is a movement that is a foot and it's a good thing. People are getting healed such an extent that they even brought in their sick out into the streets. They laid them on cots and pallets so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall over them And the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Okay.
So here we see, Jesus said, you're gonna be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea. So the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem are in Judea. And they come in together as well, bringing their people who were sick or those tormented by unclean spirits. And then they were all being healed. Do you see the gospel going forward?
Hamathumadon. They're all in one accord and they were the witnesses. I'd say that one's a good one too. Chapter six. What happens in chapter six?
Alright. Here we are at chapter seven. But chapter six, they Stephen is the beginning of the trial or the speech of Stephen. In chapter seven fifty four, here we go. So, this is the place where Jesus has said, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, but they were hold up in Jerusalem, really.
Now, of the Judeans had come in and they were ministered to in Jerusalem, but really they had been hold up and they had not been scattered. But here we are in chapter seven. It says, now, when they heard this and this is the Jewish crowd that had gathered around Stephen, he had been telling them their history but the ending of it was with Messiah Jesus and not the way that they wanted to hear it and so when they heard this, they were infuriated, they began gnashing their teeth at him, they were so angry but he being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven, he saw the glory of God and he saw Jesus standing up at the right hand of God and he said, behold, I see the very heavens opened up and the son of man is standing at the right hand of God but they shouted with loud voices, gritting their teeth and they covered their ears, I don't want to hear anymore about Jesus and they rushed at him with one mind. It is possible to be and be wrong. So, Stephen is pointing towards the glory of God and the goodness of Jesus as savior and son of man.
Now, when they had driven him all the way out of the city, they began stoning him and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. We've been talking a lot about that young man lately. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and he said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and then he fell on his knees. He cried out with a loud voice. Lord, do not hold this sin against them.
Having said this, he fell asleep. Now, there was a homothumodon in this one that's I would say, give me a red light on that one. They were against God but they were stridently against and they were completely unified against. Now, who would you say Stephen was aligned with? Doesn't his closing prayer sound a whole lot like Jesus' father forgive them for they know not what they do from the from the yeah.
He is in one mind according to one purpose. He was sharing what he was sharing, not just grandstanding. He was presenting them with an option of repenting and turning to Jesus. Lord, don't hold this against them and having said that, he died. Seven fifty fours.
I'm sorry. I didn't change where this is. This is up into it's a different chapter. Hold on just a second. I missed that in the first service.
Eight six eight. So this is chapter eight. Next chapter. It's in order. So, therefore, those who had been scattered, think about that.
So, they had been hold up in Jerusalem where they were comfortable and they thought this was the best place to be but Jesus had told them, you're gonna be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. So, this says, Philip, after the stoning of Stephen, As difficult as that was, that was the impetus that scattered the church and scattered them into the places that Jesus had said they would be his witnesses. So therefore, those who had been scattered went through places preaching the word. Now, went down to the city of Samaria and he began proclaiming the Christ to them. Oh, you remember John four?
Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman and we could do the whole sermon there but basically, what he says when she receives the good word that he is the Messiah, the prophet, the Taheb that he'd been looking for, that they had been looking for. Think about this, we think often and we hear in a Christmas carol, long lay the world and sin in error, pining for the day when Messiah would be real. Judaism had been waiting for Messiah and they were in the process of rejecting it and Samaria just half breeds by considered that way by the Jews. Samaritans still had the Pentateuch. They still had the first five books of Moses and Moses had said in Deuteronomy eighteen eighteen, y'all be looking for one that the Lord will raise up a prophet like me from among you.
He will raise him up and you should listen to him and that's how Jesus introduced himself to that woman. I see that you are a prophet and he basically said, I am the prophet. I'm the one you've been looking for. So, Christ has already gone ahead of them into Samaria. The Holy Spirit is certainly active presenting the illumination to the word that they have which is the first five books of the Bible and now Philip is taking it seriously when he got out of Jerusalem.
Later on, he's called Philip the evangelist but he's already practicing it here. Philip went down to Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. Now, the crowds were paying attention. How? With one mind.
They were there intent on listening to what he said, to what was being said by Philip as they heard and they saw the signs that he was performing. So, the miracles again in Acts proved they authenticate the message. For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them, they were shouting with a lot loud voice and many who had been paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed. There was so much rejoicing in that city and part of the reason there was so much rejoicing in that city is because they gathered in one mind to hear the truth about Messiah Jesus. Amen.
Why'd y'all come this morning? Together to hear the truth about Messiah Jesus. Okay, Acts 12. I know we're going rather quickly. Now, he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.
This is Herod, Herod the king speaking. Herod, kind of a pompous jerk. Now, he was very angry the people of Tyre and Sidon and they, the people of Tyre and Sidon with one man, Homothumadah, they came to him, to Herod, and having won over blast us, the right hand man, the king's chamberlain. They were asking for peace because their country was supported with the grain from the king's country. Herod, king of the Jews was politically important to the kingdoms of Tyre and Sidon and so they came to him and whether they bribed, blast us, or they flattered, blast us, we don't really know, but it was a political move with one man that came to him and on an appointed day, after putting on his royal apparel, Herod making himself look as good as he could.
He took his seat on the rostrum and he began delivering an address to them and the people repeatedly cried out. All these people who needed something from him were flattering him. They cried out, oh, the voice of a God and not of a man. You're so wonderful. And immediately, an angel of the Lord struck down Herod dead because he did not give the glory to God and he was eaten by worms and he died.
So, it says, is this a good one or a bad one? I'd say that's a bad one. They were together in one accord but they were together in one accord just looking for their own. They were there looking for their own and it's not so bad to look out for your own good. I mean, but in the light of the gospel and in the light of Jesus' teachings, we're supposed to be looking out not just for our good but for others.
Political alliances is what this looks like and it is possible to be homothemedon in one accord and be wrong. So, since we have heard that some of our number, this is the Jerusalem Council from Acts 15. Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council convenes and by this point, we've seen the gospel going forward in Gentile lands on the first missionary journey and Paul and Barnabas see that God is working among the Gentiles. He's using Messiah Jesus as a light to the Gentiles and when they accept the gospel, there is a question that's rising up of whether they need to follow the Jewish law or not. Now, they're Gentile background believers and Paul himself is a Jewish background believer and he knows that there's going to be a rub between these two and so, wisely, I believe, he and Barnabas come back with other folks, Gentiles and Jews and they come back, Christians all.
They come back to Jerusalem and they convene a council. What are we gonna do to keep this from being two different things? We're called to unity in Christ. How are we going to unify in Christ? Jewish background and Gentile background folks.
And so James and the other elders at the Jerusalem Council, verse 24, said this, since we, this is in the middle of a letter that they're writing to all the Gentile churches. Since we have heard that some of our number from here in Jerusalem to whom we gave no instruction, they have confused you by their teaching and they have been upsetting your souls. The group of people that he's referring to here are the Judaizers who are presenting, if you're going to accept Christ, you gotta first accept the whole Jewish law and follow it to a tee before we will allow you to be baptized into Christ. You gotta be Jewish to be Christian and that's not what they had determined to be true. The Jerusalem council, since we've heard some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have confused you by their teaching, upsetting your souls.
It seems good to us. Having become Hamathoumaddon. Wait a second. You can become Hamathoumaddon? You don't just have to start off there?
Yes. This is a gathering. It's a council. It's like a meeting that you would have and you know what it's like to be in a meeting when you can't agree and it's like, oh, this factions and sides and this is not going to be good. We've got these two things or these three things and we've got real clear distinctions between the two groups and both of them think they're right and they might be of one mind each but they're not of one mind.
This says in the council, it seemed good to us. In politics today, compromise is a dirty word. It's a dirty word in our society in a lot of ways that you can't compromise, you must have it all. But if we must have it all all the time, then there is not going to be a good for both sides. It's going be good for one side at a time.
It seemed good to us. Having become of one mind that we would select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for it seemed good to not just us but to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon all of y'all no greater burden than these essentials. This is not the sum of the Jewish law. This is what they're asking for from the Gentile background believers in Jesus. Y'all abstain from things that are sacrificed to idols.
That's a real struggle for us as Jews. We know that God is one. We know we're not supposed to have any gods before him. We know that and so please abstain from meat that's offered to idols because table fellowship would be impossible with us if you were eating things sacrificed to idols. That's reasonable.
And from blood, that's draining the blood out of it is something that they would do and not all Gentiles did. So would you abstain from that and from things strangled because that's against the rules and it would be gross for a Jew to eat something that had been in either of these three any of these three categories. And the last one says, and from acts of sexual immorality. As good Jewish folks, they had been raised with an understanding about sexuality that was holy and good and from the law that God had given and it was pure and for the most part, the Gentile cultures did not have the same laws. They might have had some different taboos but they're saying that just these four things, not the whole 613 laws that we go by, just these four things.
Boom, boom, boom, and then after that, it's not even saying you must. It's saying, if you keep yourselves free from these things, you're going to do well. Isn't that even a soft way to say that? It's if you'll keep yourself free from these things, you'll do well. Farewell.
We wish you well. There's not any kind of animosity. Jewish believers first, Gentile believers second. It's not like that. So, the Jerusalem Council, I'd say that's a good one and here we are but I will say this, it was achieved.
It was that was achieved. The other stuff might seem lofty and it might seem like it was just a description of what was happening. This is something that they're saying that if you will get together and you will pray together and you will humble yourself together, God will lead you to be together in one accord. Acts 18, we've only got a couple of them left and then I'll summarize, sum up. But while Galileo was proconsul of Achaia, this is when I don't think this is a good one and it was at Corinth.
While Gallio was the proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up Homothumedon against Paul. So, they rose up in one accord against Paul and they brought him before the judgment seat saying, this man is inciting the people to worship God contrary to the law. But when Paul was about to open his mouth, he didn't even have to open his mouth. Galileo says to the Jews, if it were a matter of some crime or vicious unscrupulous act, oh Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you. But if there are questions about teaching in persons in your own law, y'all just deal with it yourselves, y'all can get together on this, I'm sure, but they were saying they weren't and they wanted the authorities to kill or put him in prison, kill him like they had done Jesus.
You see to it yourselves. I'm unwilling to be a judge over these matters. I don't see anything that's happened that's wrong and he drove them away from the judgment seat but they all took hold of the leader of the synagogue and they began beating him right in front of the judgment seat and yet Galileo really wasn't concerned about any of these things. Christianity is is innocent before the law and that's what Gallio was saying. They still were angry and they were altogether angry about it.
And in '19, this is actually in Ephesus. It's a similar scene. It's a near riot at the theater. When they heard this, they were filled with rage. They began shouting, great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
Great is Artemis of the Ephesians. The text elsewhere says, they screamed that for two straight hours. What a show. The city was filled with confusion. Now, I had said earlier in Acts, in Acts two, the day of Pentecost, it says, and people were confused because they understood.
This is not like that. This is just confusion. The city was filled with confusion. They rushed together into the theater, Homothumodon, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's Macedonian traveling companions and when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. I I kept this latter portion in here because verse 32 cracks me up every time I read it.
There were some Asiarchs who were friends who'd sent word to him repeatedly, don't go in there Paul. Please don't go in there Paul. I know it seems like a good gathering for you to talk to. Please don't. So then, some were shouting one thing.
Greatest Artemis of Ephesians. We know that's one of them and then some were shouting another and that could have been the Jews who were saying, no. No. He's wrong for a different reason. It's not because Artemis is right.
It's because he's wrong about Messiah. We don't know exactly what it was but it says, the assembly was in confusion and the majority of people didn't even know for what reason they come together. Does that sound like our day? It does sound like our day. A lot of people are just yelling one thing in Homo Thumadon, another set or is yelling Homo Thumadon in a completely different it's like they're on two different planets, and then the majority have no idea what to believe.
I don't think that's a good thing. I think this is just mostly saying hooray for our side from the There's Something Happening Here song. Do you all know that song? Buffalo Springfield. There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear.
Yeah. Young people carrying signs mostly just say hooray for our side, not for everybody, just for our side. This is kind of what the scene is right there. So, Hamathemuddon, that's all of the occurrences in Acts. Word study, Hamathemuddon, there it is.
All of the occurrences. Is it prescriptive like y'all should be together in one accord or is it descriptive? I think for the most part, it is descriptive for the most part. It's saying this these are the are the conditions that existed at the time when these things happened. It's a describing thing.
But if you know that, then isn't it a prescription for how we should go together forward? It is. And the way I can say that is biblically also because the next occurrence that we have of it, the only other occurrence that we have of this word homothumedon in the Bible is right there. In Romans 15, at the very end of this theological treaties that gives us good practice, how to put it all into practice. At the end of the book of Romans, we see this blessing and it says now, after finishing his whole argument and chapters 14 specifically being about unity, he closes with this.
Now, may the God who gives perseverance. Be willing to stick it out until you get to the place of being in one mind in Christ. May the God who gives perseverance and encouragement, may he grant you to be of the same mind with one another. That's a different way of saying in one accord, in one mind, in one purpose. It's very similar but it's different.
To be of the same eye with one another according to Christ Jesus so that with one purpose, according to one mind, together with one another in Jesus and with one voice, we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is a prescription for how we should proceed forward together. Now, we're going to go straight from that and into a time of communion and I'll invite the ushers to come forward and I should say, we practice an open table. I'm looking around the room and I'm seeing different backgrounds. I know that on most Sundays, we have about 40 different denominational backgrounds that are coming together.
I want for you to consider this, every single one of us has been called out of the culture of our origin and into the ecclesia, the called out ones, the body of Christ and it is based upon his perfect life that was well lived, an example but also a perfect record that is available for anyone who would accept it, who would accept Jesus. Through his voluntary and sacrificial death on the cross, through the blood that was shed of the innocent. We have a way, the only way to reach Father God. So, I'm gonna pray right now and as we distribute this, you are welcome. It's an open table.
You do not have to be Baptist. Just if you have placed your trust in Christ, then you may partake. In Jesus name, I pray Lord that we would recognize the depth of the emptying of yourself that you did. You left the glories of heaven. You came to this earth, born, poor, and walked it out in perfect submission to the spirit, obeying the will of the father, and Jesus, thank you for walking that out.
Thank you for as difficult as it was when you're praying for prayer for unity and then for that cup to pass. If it were possible and the answer from father God is there is no other way. We know that there's only one mediator between God and man and that's you, Jesus. So, I pray lord that you'd bless everyone that partakes of this little cracker representative of the body of Christ. A perfect record walked out on this Earth.
You did not fail Jesus as Adam failed under probation and every one of us since him has. You did not. That perfect record is available for all who would believe. In Jesus name, we ask your blessing on this little representation as we distribute it. Amen.
So on the same evening that Jesus was betrayed, in an upper room, he took bread after supper and after he had given thanks for it, he said to his disciples there and his voice rings out through the gospels to us. This is my body which is given for you. Take and eat of this and do it as often as you will in remembrance of me. Lord Jesus, we do this in remembrance of you. In one mind, with one purpose, according to one passion and that passion lord is yours.
So for the innocent blood that you spilled voluntarily and sacrificially on our behalf, we are thankful and we come together to celebrate an end to sin. Be of sin the double cure saves us from wrath lord but it also makes us pure. So as we distribute this little plastic cup of grape juice, I pray that we would recognize it as a remembrance of the blood that was spilled on Calvary. In Jesus name, for his purpose. Amen.
I believe that this life with its great mysteries surely In the same manner that he had taken the bread, he also took the cup after supper and he said to them, this is the new covenant in my blood. They had longed for that new covenant. We all fail under the old covenant. It shows us our need for a savior and Jesus was saying, this is the new covenant in my blood. Take this, drink it in, do it as often as you will in remembrance of me.
Amen. And Paul says later on in Corinthians that as often as we do this, we proclaim his death until he comes again. Would you stand with me? I think we're just gonna close with the doxology. Judy, if that's alright.
She's gonna give us a g and here we go. Amen. And go in peace.

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Written up from the message given at First B Jackson. If something here reads oddly, the recording is the record.

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